Gaines Adams

FEATURED ARTICLES ABOUT GAINES ADAMS - PAGE 5

By BAG BOY and Bag Boy is a RedEye special contributor | October 23, 2009

Tough love for Bears So, we're getting serious now. Looks like the Bears and Jay Cutler just got married; the commitment is real. It occurs to me, this whole "franchise QB" thing is new around here, and when we first got him, no one from Denver sent us a user's manual. Allow me to provide one. Here's what it would say: "Congratulations on your new acquisition. Now all you need to do is to change the entire mind-set of your organization." We need playmakers. Look at what Orton's doing in Denver with what he has. Big-time receivers and a great running game.

Although coach Lovie Smith called it precautionary, defensive tackle Tommie Harris being sidelined for a second day Thursday was not a good sign. Harris has been slowed by problems with his left knee since first suffering the injury in September 2007. He usually sits out Wednesdays, but his absence Thursday is disconcerting. "There's always concern when that happens," Smith said. "I hope he will be available (Sunday in Cincinnati)." Marcus Harrison filled in for Harris the last two days.

1. Chemistry test The acquisition of defensive end Gaines Adams raised eyebrows and no doubt puzzled some of the Bears. "I'm sure I didn't make any friends over this with the defensive line," general manager Jerry Angelo said. But the trade, Angelo said, was not an indictment of Mark Anderson, Alex Brown or Adewale Ogunleye. Angelo views it as adding depth at a key position. As long as the men work together without dissension, this trade will only help the Bears. 2. Plenty of turnover The Georgia Dome crowd erupted when Bears running back Matt Forte fumbled on third-and-goal from the 1 and the ball was recovered by Falcons linebacker Coy Wire.

Here are some key upcoming dates for the Bears: Jan. 30: Senior Bowl The game in Mobile, Ala., won't mean as much as the days leading up to it. Coach Lovie Smith not only will be evaluating players, he also will be huddling with members of his new staff, most importantly the offensive and defensive coordinators. Mike Martz and Perry Fewell might be the guys in Smith's circle. Feb. 24-March 2: NFL scouting combine General manager Jerry Angelo admitted he needed to do a better job evaluating his own team, but Angelo and his staff need to do a masterful job scouting college prospects, too. Such hasn't been the case the past few years, with three of the last five second-round picks no longer around.

With the play of young linebackers Nick Roach and Jamar Williams of late and with Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs coming back next year, do you think we should go get a defensive coordinator that runs a 3-4 scheme? I think our linebacking core is good enough to run that 3-4 scheme. What do you think? -- D'Angelo, Hazel Crest Just because the Bears have a number of talented linebackers does not mean they have linebackers who would fit the 3-4. I would doubt that the Bears linebackers would fit well in a 3-4. Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs probably would work as inside linebackers, but none of their linebackers are edge pass rushers.

Israel Idonije fulfilled his promise to play Sunday despite being less than two weeks removed from arthroscopic surgery on his left knee. The Bears defensive tackle saw time on both defense and the kickoff return team and showed no signs of being slowed. In fact, he looked rather fast blowing up the middle and putting pressure on Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan during the first quarter. Ryan stepped up and fired an incomplete pass while Idonije pressured. Idonije wasn't the only Bear to make his presence felt coming off a knee injury.

Bears linebacker Pisa Tinoisamoa has to decide whether to have season-ending surgery after suffering articulating cartilage damage in his right knee, according to a league source. Tinoisamoa suffered the injury while planting in coverage during Sunday's 21-14 loss in Atlanta. He had an MRI on Monday to determine the severity of the injury. The veteran ruptured the posterior cruciate ligament in the same knee during the season opener in Green Bay. The latest injury could have a significant impact on the linebacker corps, with Brian Urlacher already out following season-ending wrist surgery and Hunter Hillenmeyer still recovering from a single cracked rib. Bears coach Lovie Smith said Monday there were no plans to add another body at linebacker.